Concealed chest for table



April 26, 1960 M. v. cRADDocK CONCEALED CHEST FOR TABLE Filed Aug. l0, 1955 Alle ...x w

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\/ l'/ 4 em/ K MW\./\\\ J 7. WZ@ /z 2 Z vl, 3 rw n 5 5l 5. m F y n w AUnited States Patent CONCEALED CHEST FOR TABLE Melville-V. Craddock, Vanderburgh County, Ind., as-

signor to CraddockV Furniture Corporation, Evansville, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application August 10, 1955, Serial No. 527,458

1 Claim. (Cl. 312-204) The present invention relates to a concealed chest for a table and more particularly to a chest for an extensible 4table which is uncovered when the table is extended from its closed position.

It has long been a source of convenience to provide a drawer in the conventional type of table structure for placing table accessories such as silverware, linens and the like. With the usual extensible table, however, it is difficult, if not impossible, to include such a drawer therein inasmuch as the space beneath the table top is usually occupied by the necessary slide sections, locks and the like.

By virtue of the applicants novel invention, a chest is provided for an extensible table which is concealed when the ltable is in closed position and which is readily accessible for use when the table is in extended position. Moreover, the lid of the typical chest structure disclosed herein may be arranged to open as the table is extended and the chest withdrawn from its normally closed position beneath the table top and, conversely, to close beneath the table top as the table structure is returned to its closed or non-extended position. Thus, the applicants novel ychest structure provides desirable utility space in an extensible table structure which is away from view when not in use and yet which is readily accessible.

.A principal object of the present invention, therefore,

Y is to provide a concealed chest structure for an extensible table.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a concealed chest for an extensible table which is accessible for use when the table is in an open or extended position.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a concealed chest for an extensible table having a lid which opens from its normal position beneath the table top as the table is extended and which closes during the reverse procedure thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a chest for an extensible table which is out of view when not in use and yet which is readily accessible.

yOther objects and a better understanding of the invention will become more apparent from the following description, ltaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a View in front elevation, partially cut away, showing the concealed chest of the present invention embodied in a typical extensible table;

Figure 2 is a view in end elevation of the concealed chest of the present invention in the extensible table of Figure l, when the extensible table is in closed or nonextended position;

Figure 3 is a view in elevation of the concealed chest, taken at line 3 3 of Figure l and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a plan view showing the concealed chest when the extensible table of Figure l is in a partially extended position;

Figure 5 is a plan View of the concealed chest when ice the extensible table of Figure l is in a fully extended position, with the lid of the chest open; and

Figure 6 is a view in cross-section of the concealed chest, taken at line 6-6 of Figure 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, and specic language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein, being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Referring now to the drawings, the concealed chest of the present invention is shown embodied in a typical form of extensible table having drop leaves and a no-split top. It will be readily understood that the novel chest structure is equally adaptable for use with other forms of extensible table structure including, for example, extensible tables without drop leaves or having the usual split top. Embodied in any extensible table structure, the novel concealed chest disclosed herein provides ready Vaccessibility when the table is extended either, for example, for access to the chest or to receive an additive leaf.

Referring now more particularly to Figure l, Figure 2 and Figure 3, an extensible drop leaf' table is shown having a stationary no-split top 11 supported by fixed end rails 12 and 14 and a iixed side rail 15. Disposed beneath the table top 11 are movable slides 16 and 17 having sections 16a, 16b, 16e, 16d and 16e and sections 17a, 17b, 17e, 17d and 17e, respectively. The slide sections are movable outwardly and away from the fixed side rail 15, with end sections 16e and 17e engaging end sections 18 and 19, respectively, which fasten to a movable side rail 20. When the side rail 20 ismoved outwardly with respect to the table top 11, each of the slide sections extends telescopically from a normally closed position. In the typical extensible table structure shown herein, slides 16 and 17 each have five sections, but it shouldbe apparent that any number may be utilized depending upon the number of additive leaves desired to be inserted in the extended table.

Leg members 25 and 27 engage the ixed side rail 15 and the movable side rail 2), respectively. Where a centrally disposed leg member orV third pedestal is required because of the length of the opened or extended table, as typically disclosed herein, the third leg member 26 may engage a bridge block 28 which extends between and connects sections 16e and 17e of slides 16 and 17, respectively. As the slide sections are extended for receiving additional leaves, the leg member 26 moves outwardly, providing, thereby, the necessary central table support.

Drop leaves 30 and 31 engage side rails 20 and 15, respectively, by hinges 32, with brackets 35 being provided to support and lock the drop leaves in a horizontal position when in use, as more particularly shown in Figure 6. The overall dimensions of the typical extensible table structure shown herein embodying the applicants novel concealed chest approximate 27 inches in length for the table top 11 and 161/2 inches n length for each drop leaf, with thetable top being 30 inches olf the iloor level.

With reference to Figure 4, Figure 5 and Figure 6, the concealed chest structure 40 of the present invention is positioned adjacent the side rail 20 which forms the front wall thereof and in an area between sections 16a and 17a of slides 16 and 17, respectively, when the extensible table is in a closed or non-extended position. A bridge member 41 fastens to the side of the end sections 18 and 19 and to the side rail 20, forming the bottom wall of the chest 40. Side Walls 42 and 43 and a back wall 44 cornplete the chest structure. Theback wall 44 is preferably made from heavier stock than the side walls 42 and 43, and attaching thereto by hinges 48 is a top .lid 45. In the typical embodiment shown herein, hinges 48 engage the back surface of the back wall 44 and the end surface of the top lid 45. The hinges 48 preferably have springurged means associated therewith to force or tend the top lid 45 in an upwardly or open direction. As is particularly evident in Figure 3 and Figure 4, the height of the side Walls 42 and 43 and the back wall 44 and the thickness of the top lid 45 permits the top lid 45 to t beneath the table top 11 when the extensible table 'is in va closed ornon-extended position.

In use, the chest structure 40 is'out of view when the extensible table is in a closed position. When the table is extended to provide access to the chest or to receive an additive leaf, the side rail 20 is grasped and moved outwardly with respect to the stationary table top 11. The respective sections of slides 16 and 17 extend outwardly, as shown in Figure 4, and the chest 40 comes into view. As the movable end rail 20 is extended to the position Where the full depth of the chest 40 clears the stationary table top 11, the lid 45 may be lifted to provide from partial to full access to the chest when standard type hinges 48 are employed.

When the preferable spring-urged hinges 48 are utilized, the top lid 45 is urged upwardly as the end rail 20 is moved outwardly, providing thereby, a self-lifting or automatically opening top lid 45 for the chest 40. Due to the spring action, therefore, access is automatically permitted to the chest 40 at various positions of lid opening to the fully opened position. Conversely, as the extensible table is closed, the top lid 45 is urged downwardly by the pressure of the undersurface of the table top 11 on the upper surface of the top lid 45. The preferred spring-urged hinge 4S exerts a pressure easily overcome `when an additive leaf (not shown) is placed on the slide sections when the extensible table is in an extended or open position.

The overall inner dimensions of the typical concealed chest disclosed and shown herein approximate 21/2 inches in height, 151/2 inches in width and 8 inches in depth. Depending upon the desired use of the chest, the inner surfaces thereof may be coated or lined as with felt, for example, and partitions included where the utility of the ohest would be increased thereby.

From the preceding, it should be apparent that the ap- -4 closed or non-extended position. Moreover, by utilizing spring-urged hinge means or the like, the lid of the chest is urged upwardly as the extensible table is opened or extended, providing an automatically self-lifting lid, with converse action when the procedure is reversed. The chest structure is susceptible to alterations and changes in dimensions, con-figuration andthe like within the spirit of the invention. For example, slide arm means may be utilized to retain the lid 45 at any desired maximum open position. Moreover, the separate top lid 45 may be omitted, if desired, with the table -top serving as Athe cover for the chest when the table is in a closed or nonextended position.

It should also be apparent that a concealed chest may be embodied in `each end of an extensible table structure which is extendible in two directions and, as indicated hereabove, the concealed chest is capable of effective use lin the conventional split-top form of extensible table by the similar positioning thereof in the area between the slide sections when the table is in a closed or non-extended position, with access being provided thereto when the table is extended. Thus, the above description should be considered as illustrative and not as limiting the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

In an extensible table having a fixed horizontal top on a stationary body portion and movable extension slides therebelow engaging a slidable end portion, said movable extension slides being adapted to receive at least one filler leaf thereon when said table is extended, a chest comprising side, front, back and bottom walls movable with said slidable end portion and concealed beneath said iixed horizontal top in an area between said movable extension slides when said table is non-extended, said chest being uncovered when said slidable end portion is moved to extend the table and covered when said at least one ller leaf is positioned on said movable extension slides.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 167,884 Gaines Oct. 7, 1952 108,449 Clark Oct. 18, 1870 119,208 Welteck Sept. 19, 1871 181,963 Miles Sept. 5, 1876 184,580 Bretz Nov. 2l, 1876 246,060 Bismann Aug. 23, 1881 658,275 Musser Sept. 18, 1900 1,129,800 Harris Feb. 23, 1915 2,548,927 Anderson Apr. 17, 1951 

